1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to packaging, and in particular to boxes used to ship and display electronic circuit boards.
2. Description of Related Art
Various types of boxes are in use for shipping and displaying electronic circuit boards and related parts. Typically, since the boxes require multiple compartments, the boxes are made from multiple pieces of material. While use of multiple pieces of material results in a useful box, the multiple pieces require costly and difficult processes to construct the box. In addition, a sleeve is typically placed around the box. Information concerning the product contained in the box is printed on the sleeve.
There are several examples of one-piece containers in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,090 entitled "One Piece Double Shell Box with Closure Fastener" of Cortellucci issued on Oct. 21, 1986 discloses a one piece shoe box 100 (FIGS. 1A and 1B). In a closed position, box 100 is a single large compartment that is held together by a lid 105. When lid 105 is lifted, box 100 unfolds to form two compartments 101 and 102. However, it is in only the open unfolded state that two compartments exist.
Another example of a one piece box is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,675, entitled "One Piece Interlocking Outfold Container" of von Gnechten et al. issued on Dec. 18, 1984 discloses another one compartment box 200 (FIG. 2A). FIG. 2B illustrates the flat cardboard cutout used to construct box 200.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,323,958, 5,588,583, 5,332,148, 5,326,017 and 4,919,269 show different one-piece containers with multiple compartments. However, none of these containers is suitable for use with an electronic circuit board and related components. Hence, a one-piece box having multiple compartments that permit easy access and viewing of an electronic circuit board and related parts would be desirable. The one-piece box preferably would have sufficient strength and rigidity to allow shipping and stacking of the packed boxes.